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Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF)

The Singapore Civil Defence Force (SCDF) is a uniformed organisation which provides emergency services to the nation both during peacetime and under crisis. It serves not only as a fire-fighting authority but also provides ambulance and rescue services and acts as an educator on fire safety procedures.

History
The SCDF was formed with the launch of the National Civil Defence Plan in 1982, and was originally operating under the Singapore Police Force. Following the enactment of the Civil Defence Act in 1986, the SCDF established itself as an independent organisation under the Ministry of Home Affairs. After the Hotel New World disaster in 1986 and the Pulau Merlimau oil rig fires in 1988, the Ministry of Home Affairs merged the SCDF with the Singapore Fire Service (SFS) on 15 April 1989 in order to streamline rescue services.

Achievements
The SCDF organises emergency preparedness programmes and disaster management activities, which are governed by three main laws, namely the Civil Defence Act of 1986, the Fire Safety Act of 1993 and the Civil Defence Shelter Act of 1997. The Force's role during peacetime is to provide emergency services, such as fire fighting, rescue and ambulance services. In addition, SCDF builds up and maintains its operational capability and readiness; strives to increase public awareness and participation in civil defence activities; and is also responsible for formulating and enforcing regulations on fire safety and civil defence shelter matters. The Force also maintains an on-going programme with the Asia-Pacific and European countries to exchange views and experiences on emergency preparedness and disaster management, and participates in rescue operations in the region.

In 2001, the SCDF had a three-tier hierarchical structure comprising HQ SCDF, four territorial Civil Defence divisions and 14 fire stations. The Force's strength included regular officers and men, full-time National Servicemen, Civil Defence National Servicemen, and volunteers. In June 2001, the Mountbatten Fire Post in Kallang became Singapore's first fire post. The fire post, equipped with an ambulance and light fire-attack vehicle, was part of a plan which was aimed at cutting response time to emergency calls. The United Nations World Fire Statistics Centre ranked Singapore top for fire-safety in 2001.

In December 2001, SCDF opened a Civil Defence Heritage Gallery at the Central Fire Stationin Hill Street. The Gallery traced the history of SCDF including the fire-fighting and civil defence developments in Singapore from the late 1800s to present day.



Author
Joycelyn Hwang



References
Hon, J. (1988). 100 Years of the Singapore Fire Service (pp. 2-15). Singapore: Times Books International.
(Call no.: RSING 363.378095957 HON)

Chong, C. K. (2001, December 2). Fire King comes back to life in SCDF Gallery. The Straits Times, Home, p. 29.

Chong, C. K. (2002, February 6). Arson incidents cost $1m last year. The Straits Times, Home, p. 3.

Remembering the history of the Fire Service: SCDF: how it came about. (1998, September 15). The Straits Times, p. 28.

Singapore's First Fire Post Opens in Kallang. (2001, June 4). The Straits Times, Home, p. 3.

Singapore Civil Defence Force. (n.d.). Background - about us. Retrieved December 4, 2002, from www.scdf.gov.sg/html/abtus/abt01_bkg.html 

The information in this article is valid as at 2002 and correct as far as we are able to ascertain from our sources. It is not intended to be an exhaustive or complete history of the subject. Please contact the Library for further reading materials on the topic.

Subject
Politics and Government>>National Security>>Defence
Civil defense--Singapore
Fire departments--Singapore
Law and government>>Security>>Civil defence

Librarian Recommendations
>> Hotel New World collapse
>> Hill Street Fire Station


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